The District Election Officer and Collector S. Prabhakar held consultations with the officials on the arrangements for the counting day. A series of directions have been issued by the DEO on the conduct of the candidates and their agents inside the counting rooms.
According to the District Election Officer, candidates’ agents shall be present inside the counting centres before 6 a.m. Agents and candidates shall be seated only in their respective assigned spots and not allowed to shift places.
However, candidates and their general agents will be allowed to visit all the counting rooms of the Assembly segments of the contesting constituency.
In addition, either the candidate or the agent will be allowed to be present at the counting bench at any given time. Only one agent will be allowed to be present at the table of the counting officer.
According to an administration release, the agents have been assigned based on the submission of Form 18 I by the representatives of the candidates. The identity cards produced by the agents shall bear the name of the candidate. Agents shall not carry cigarette lighters, cigarettes, cell phones or any sharp objects into the counting room.
District revenue officer S. Shanti, and Ramamoorthy, Tahsildar (Elections), were among the officials present.
